Challenge: Accepted

Our dear friends, the Straleys recently put out a challenge that you can read about on their blog.  They are missionaries living in the Dominican Republic and they have challenged their blog readers, the majority of whom are their family and friends living in the US, to experience a tiny bit of life as a Dominican by spending only $33 for one week on groceries.  Please do take the time to read about the challenge so you can understand their hearts in putting this challenge out there.  Just click on their name in the first sentence of this post!

We eagerly accepted this challenge because we would love to gain some perspective and learn whatever lesson God has intended for us.  Today I attempted to shop on the alloted $33 budget.  I came home with a gallon of milk, a half gallon of soy milk, a box of cherrioes, some rice and beans, oatmeal, apples, bananas, pasta, one can of tomatoe sauce, frozen mixed vegetables, some chicken, and a dozen eggs.  These items seemed like the bear essentials that would get us through a week.  My total bill came to $52.60.  Well over the challenge price.  I'm not disappointed.  I am excited to see what lessons we learn this week, it will still be a challenge.

Sean suggested we try the challenge again next month.  In fact he suggested we try again each month until we really see what its like to live on $33 a week for groceries.  Please join me in praying that we would keep our hearts and minds open to hearing from God on just how blessed we are to live here in the US with such vast resources, with so many family to support us, with so many opportunities to make our lives better.  God is good and he is faithful to answer our prayers so expect to hear back from us soon on what we learned!